Radiation detectors are necessary for the detection of dangerous ionizing radiation in environments where radioactive materials are stored or actively used, such as hospitals, nuclear plants, and research labs. The dose of exposure to ionizing radiation needs to be recorded to monitor exposure over time of workers or patients that can be intentionally or unintentionally exposed to high doses of ionizing radiation.
The current technologies for detection and dosimetry of ionizing radiation from a point of view of personal monitoring have one or several of the following drawbacks: lack of capability of on-site signal generation; need for trained personnel to interpret the signal; need for expensive and bulky cooling systems; and expensive hardware or upkeep.
Thus, improved radiation detectors that are cost effective to implement and easy to use and maintain would be desirable.